Yarn treating apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THERMOPLASTIC YARN COMPRISING MEANS FOR HEATING AND DRAWING THE YARN WHILE ADVANCING THE YARN, MEANS FOR CRIMPING THE YARN BY LONGITUDINAL COMPRESSION DIRECTLY AFTER DRAWING WHILE THE YARN IS STILL IN A HEATED CONDITION FROM THE HEATING AND DRAWING MEANS, THE MEANS FOR WINDING UP THE DRAWN AND CRIMPED YARN, SAID HEATING AND DRAWING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF ROLLER ARRANGEMENTS, EACH OF SAID ROLLER ARRANGEMENTS HAVING A PERIPHERAL SURFACE WITH WHICH THE YARN IS CONTACTED, ONE OF SAID ROLLER ARRANGEMENTS BEING HEATALBE AND ROTATABLE TO HEAT THE ADVANCE YARN FROM THE SUPPLY TO THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLER ARRANGEMENTS, SAID OTHER ROLLER   ARRANGEMENT BEING HEATABLE AND ROTATABLE TO ADVANCE THE YARN AT A RATE GREATER THAN THE RATE AT WHICH THE YARN IS ADVANCED BY THE SAID ONE ROLLER ARRANGEMENT TO THEREBY DRAW THE YARN WHILE IN A HEATED CONDITION FROM THE SAID ONE ROLLER ARRANGEMENT, SAID CRIMPING MEANS COMPRISING A CHAMBER DEFINING A YARN BUNCHING ZONE FOR FORMING A PLUG OF CRIMPED YARN AND MEANS FOR DRIVING THE DRAWN YARN INTO THE CHAMBER WHILE THE YARN IS STILL IN A HEATED CONDITION FROM THE HEATING AND DRAWING MEANS.

0d- 26. 1 F. B. SATTERWHITE 3,514,318

YARN TREATING APPARATUS AND MT'I'FIIOD 4 ShOUtrz-ShOUL 1 Original FiledMarch 8. 1966 INVENTOR F250 3. $1 ffEIWl/ 7:

914%; $112: ATTORNEYS Oct. 26, 1971 F. B. SATTERWHITE 3,614,818

YARN TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed March 8. 1966 NVENTOR@503. A 7- 71/000 7-;

26, 1971 F. B. SATTERWHITE 3,614,313

YARN TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed March 8, 1966 m Fern 354 OR IEW/V/ TE fidlfii M ATTORNEYS Oct. 26, 1971 F. B. SATTERWHITE3,614,818

YARN TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed March 8. 1966 4ShouLu-iihuct I.

INVENTOR FJPe-o 3. ,5'4 rremww r5 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Int.Cl. D02g 1/12 U.S. Cl. 28-1.6 30 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREApparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means for heatingand drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means for crimping theyarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawing while the yarnis still in a heated condition from the heating and drawing means, andmeans for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, said heating anddrawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, each of saidroller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which the yarn iscontacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable and rotatableto heat the advance yarn from the supply to the other of said rollerarrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable and rotatableto advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at which the yarn isadvanced by the said one roller arrangement to thereby draw the yarnwhile in a heated condition from the said one roller arrangement, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 532,642,filed Mar. 8, 1966, now U.S. Pat. 3,454,998, granted July 15, 1969.

This invention relates generally to improvements in a method andapparatus for drawing and crimping thermoplastic yarn, such as, forinstance, yarn made of polypropylene, polyester and the nylons, and inparticular to an improved method and apparatus for drawing, crimping andtreating yarn.

In the known methods of preparing thermoplastic materials for use asyarn, the yarn is first extruded and formed onto a supply package. Thispackage of yarn is then drawn to establish the desired denier of theyarn, by passing the yarn over a heater between a pair of drawingrollers onto a take-up package. To crimp this drawn yarn, it is thenfurther processed by feeding it over a heating element from whence it iscrimped in crimping apparatus, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No.3,212,157. (Such crimping apparatus in combination with the heating anddrawing technique and apparatus to be described, results in high-speedoperations for even the very heavy denier yarns.)

One of the problems in these various prior art steps is that it isdifiicult when thermoplastic yarn is heated, to accurately control thetemperature of the heated yarn both internally and externally. In knowncrimping apparatus, the interior of the thermoplastic yarn is often notheated uniformly at the proper temperature just prior to crimping.Resultingly, non-uniform crimping occurs.

Another disadvantage in presently known crimping apparatus, where adrawing step is incorporated in the over-all process, is that it isdifficult to keep the yarn drawing rate uniform. Furthermore, the rangeof available drawing rates is limited.

3,614,818 Patented Oct. 26, 1971 Yet another disadvantage inconventional drawing and crimping apparatus arises from yarn-heatercontact where friction between the yarn and heater damages the yarn atleast to the extent that non-uniform crimp may result.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide improvedyarn processing apparatus which is simpler, less expensive, and morereliable and by means of which an improved quality of yarn may beobtained.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novelcombination of drawing and crimping apparatus for processingthermoplastic yarn and in which is provided improved temperature controlof the yarn, a more uniform heating and drawing of the yarn prior to thecrimping thereof, and with a minimum of yarn-surface friction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such apparatus inwhich the rate of drawing can, if desired, be varied over a wide rangefor processing a Wide range of yarn denier, and which may also be variedduring the drawing process for special dying and crimping results.

It is yet another object of this invention, in one embodiment thereof,to provide drawing and crimping apparatus which obviates the need forseparate predrawing processes after the initial extrusion of the yarnand before crimping thereof.

According to one embodiment of the invention, extruded but otherwiseunprocessed yarn is passed over the surface of two driven rollers one orboth of which being internally heated, by electrical means for example.The rollers are caused to rotate at different rates to draw the yarn andestablish the desired denier of the yarn. The drawn yarn is then fedinto the crimping chamber of a high-speed crimping apparatus from whenceit is formed onto a take-up package. One immediate advantage here isthat separate positive drive means for passing yarn frictionally overstationary heated surfaces is eliminated as is yarn-heater surfacefrictional engagement.

The rates of rotation of the two rollers may be set to produce a desireddenier of the yarn, or the rate may be continually or intermittentlyvaried during the drawing process to obtain variable deniers along theyarn if so desired. To assure uniform internal as well as externalheating at uniform speed of drawing, the number of turns of yarn aroundthe heated roller or rollers can be calculated and varied for differentyarn applications.

In another embodiment of this invention, the yarn is guided directlyfrom the extruder onto the heated drawing rollers and then to thecrimping apparatus in one continuous operation. 5

In yet another embodiment of this invention, the yarn after first beingextruded and then drawn in a conventional manner may be then passed overa single heated roll which heats the yarn in an improved, uniform mannerprior to the yarn entering the crimping chamber.

One aspect of the invention also lends itself to utilization in falsetwisting apparatus, in which the improved means of drawing and heatingthe twisted yarn is provided and in which the heated rollers preheat andpostheat the yarn while simultaneously feeding the yarn through thefalse twisting apparatus. This method also eliminates the need forseparate positive feed rollers in the heating areas of such apparatus.

Inasmuch as the speed of the heated roller or rollers of the inventioncan be controlled and varied, it is still a further object of thisinvention to utilize this principle to provide an improved method forvarying the denier of the yarn for special dyeing effects. Also, becauseof the use, in the inventive combination, of the high-speed crimpingapparatus and because of the desirable speed and uniform heating anddrawing achieved via the invention, various functional portions of thecrimping apparatus may be used in varying the dyeing and crimpingcharacteristics of the crimped yarn while taking advantage of theimproved performance of the heated rollers of the invention.

In another aspect of the invention, where the yarn is being drawn andcrimped for tufting in carpet manufacture processing, the apparatus ofthe invention provides for imparting a slight twist to the yarn justprior to the drawing operation from whence it is crimped, the slighttwist being retained in the taken-up crimped yarn for facilitatingtufting.

Yet another aspect of the invention contemplates the drawing andcrimping of various untreated yarns and in this respect, means forcoating the yarn with oil and the like are provided in the apparatus ofthe invention.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention the rollers and otheryarn contacting surfaces of the apparatus including the crimping chamberare coated in Teflon so that snagging of the yarn being processed athigh speeds is reduced; sticking of decomposed polymers is substantiallyeliminated; and the fumes from and direct contact with oils on the yarnwill not coat the yarn contacting surfaces to adversely afiect a nextpackage of yarn to be processed.

The use of heated rollers in the drawing of yarn also lends itself todrawing combined yarns of different polymers and/or yarns with differentheat histories, orientations, molecular weights, crystallizations, etc.to produce rnulti-filament yarn composed of yarns having various levelsof crimp.

Further features and objects of the present invention will be derivedfrom an examination of the specification below studied in conjunctionwith the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a schematic diagram showing a conventional method for drawingand crimping yarn as known in the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing of a method and apparatus fordrawing and crimping yarn according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the inventiveimprovement to a yarn drawing and crimping apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of yet another embodiment of animprovement in a yarn crimping apparatus according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a yarndrawing and crimping apparatus employing a heated roller according tothe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 5 when viewing inthe direction of the arrows 77; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the use of the invention in falsetwist apparatus.

To better understand the improvements derived by use of the presentinvention, it will be useful to give a brief discussion of a presentlyknown yarn drawing and crimping apparatus having reference to FIG. 1.

The thermoplastic yarn 10 is first extruded from an extruder 11 andafter setting during its vertical travel is passed around guide rollers12 and 13 from which the yarn is taken up on a supply package 14.

The yarn 10 from the supply package 14 is subsequently subjected to adrawing process in which the yarn is stressed under heat to cause are-orientation of the molecular structure of the thermoplastic yarn inorder to increase the tenacity of the yarn. The extent of the drawingprocess. which may be varied. causes the final length of the yarn to beseveral times that of the original length and may be varied according tothe desired characteristics and denier of the drawn yarn.

In the known process. the yarn 10 is drawn between two driven coldrollers 15 and 16 around which the yarn is made to travel through a fewturns. The rate of rotation of roller 16 is caused to be greater thanthat of roller 15. This difference in rotational speed of the twodrawing rollers 15. 16. effectuates the drawing process.

To facilitate the drawing of the yarn, the yarn is softened by drawingthe yarn over a heating plate 17 between the drawing rollers 15 and 16.From the rollers, the yarn is taken up on package 18. The yarn onpackage 18 is then ready to be crimped. For this purpose, the yarn frompackage 18 is passed over a positive drive roller 19, over the heatingsurfaces of an elongated heating element 20 where the yarn is once againheated prior to being guided to a crimping apparatus 21 where the yarnis crimped. The crimped yarn is then formed onto a take-up package 22.Intermediate the crimping chamber 21 and takeup package 22, an oiler 23may be provided, to provide the crimped yarn with a coating of oil forsubsequent processing unless the oil coating step was performed prior tocrimping.

Having explained the conventional apparatus and method for processingthermoplastic yarn, the improvements derived by the present inventioncan now be more readily understood. For the sake of clarity,corresponding components in the various embodiments will be identifiedby corresponding reference numerals.

In FIG. 2 is shown one embodiment of the present invention. Undrawn yarn10 from a supply package 14 is drawn between two rollers 25 and 26,either the front one 25 of which must be, or both of which may be,heated and around both of which the yarn travels through several turns.Again, the rollers are rotated at ditferent rates of rotation in orderto drawn the yarn 10 to the desired denier.

It is apparent that the provision of a heated roller does away with therequirement of both heating plates 17 and 20 in the prior art embodimentshown in FIG. 1.

Also provided by the use of the heated roller because of constantyarn-heater contact, is a greater uniformity of heating throughout theentire length of the thermoplastic yarn. and this with a reducton inexpense, and complexity of equipment. Other significant advantagesderived by the use of the heated roller to replace the known heatingplate, are that sharp bends in the heated yarn path are eliminated,frictional drag between the yarn and heater is completely eliminated,and uniform heating of the interior as well as the exterior of the yarnis assured by the simple expedient of calculating the turns of yarnrelative to the speed of the roller.

Due to the above-mentioned advantages, of the apparatus more fullydescribed below, a very high drawing speed, such as up to 500 meters perminute off the second roller 26 may be obtained. At such speeds, theyarn may be passed directly from the extruder 11 to the drawing rollers25-26 as shown in FIG. 3, thus eliminating the step of taking upextruded yarn onto a take-up package 14 as shown in FIG. 1.

From the drawing roller 26, the heated, drawn yarn is passed to acrimping chamber 21, where it is crimped and is then formed onto atake-up package 22.

Frequently, in the pre-processing of drawing yarn as in the prior art,the yarn is coated with oil and/or other compositions to finish or, forinstance, predispose the yarn for later processes, such as dyeing ortufting. The present invention, in eliminating such preprocessing steps,may provide, for instance, after the crirnped yarn leaves the crimpingchamber 21. on the way to the take-up package 22, an oiler 23 in which acoating of oil is applied to the yarn 10, to make it more amenable to asubsequent dyeing process. Due to the more uniform heating of the yarnby the heated rollers, the oil is more uniformly distributed over thesurface of the yarn and consequently the dyeing process is also moreuniform.

It is also within the scope of the invention to vary the rate ofrotation of the drawing rollers either continually or intermittently tocreate an uneven denier in the yarn so that when the yarn is dyed, theyarn will receive various levels of dye forming various shades ofcoloring thereon, to provide an aesthetically pleasing effect in thefinished producl. The lesser drawn areas will dye darker than thoseportions of the yarn which are drawn to a greater extent.

FIG. 4 shows another application of the invention concept in which theyarn 10 is first drawn, such as by the prior art means, shown in theembodiments of. FIG. 1, the drawn yarn being formed onto packages 18.The yarn 10 is taken from package 18 and passed around a single drivenheated roller 42 which provides a uniform heating of the yarn, withoutdrawing, before the yarn is led to the crimping chamber 21. After thecrimping operation, the yarn is guided through oiler 23 and then isformed onto take-up package 22 as in the previously describedembodiments.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate yarn processing apparatus made in accordancewith and performing the methods of the invention.

The yarn 50 is unwound from a supply roll 51 through guide disc 52around rotatably mounted guide and tensioner wheels 53, the disc andwheels being mounted on shelf 46 extending from housing 45, onto drivenrollers 55 and 57 and their associated separating rollers 56 and 58.

The yarn 50 is first passed over the first driven roller 55, which isheated, and separating roller 56 through the desired number of turns,the separating roller 56, extending at an angle relative to the plane ofthe axis of roller 55 (see FIG. 6, assisting in distributing the yarn ina spiral path across the face of the roller 55. The yarn is then passedfrom roller 55 to the second driven roller 57, which may or may not beheated, as desired, and separating roller 58, through the desired numberof turns, again, separating roller 58 serving to assist in dis tributingthe yarn in a spiral path across the face of the roller 57.

The drawn rollers 55 and 57 grip the yarn and are so driven, byconventional driving means (not shown) contained within the housing 45,that the roller 57 is caused to have a greater rotational speed thanthat of roller 55. As a result of the differential in the rates ofrotation of the two rollers, the yarn is stretched or drawn.

Standard heated godet rolls, 12 inches in circumference with 2 to inchwide faces, rated at 500 to 1000 watts at 12 to 24 volts fortemperatures 225 C. have been used as heated rollers 55 and 57 withexceptionally good results. Surface temperature in such rolls ismaintained and varied by integral heaters and thermistors. Rheostatcontrols such at rotating controllers put out by Barber-Colman Company,specifically made for use as a surface heat controller for standardgodet rollers, will act to further assure close and constant temperaturecontrol.

It has been found advisable to work with temperatures within the 85 C.to 185 C. for the first roller 55 for processing the various currentlyused thermoplastic yarns for carpeting.

The actual temperature to which the roller surface is raised isdetermined by the type of yarn being treated, upon the desired degree ofcrimping, and other considerations which arise in the subsequentprocessing of the yarn. The roller surface temperature will also dependupon the polymer of the thermoplastic yarn.

In a typical operation, which will produce yarn having a denier ofbetween 1000 and 4000, the rotational rate of roller 57 will vary aroundapproximately 500 meters per minute, while the peripheral speed ofroller 55 will be approximately two and one-half to five times slowerthan that of roller 57.

As noted previously, it is not essential that the surface of roller 57be heated, but in some applications, to increase the over-all heating ofthe yarn, it is conceivable that roller 57 will be heated.

It is also within the scope of this invention to supply heating means toseparator roll 56 and/or 58 if required by any particular operating orprocessing considerations.

After the yarn is drawn, it is then passed in a heated condition fromroller 57 around guide rolls 59 through the nip of driven rollers 60,61, which are rotated at the same peripheral speed as the second roller57. The rollers 60, 61, pass the heated and drawn yarn into the crimpingarea or chamber 62 of a stuffer box crimper 63, the details ofconstruction of which are fully set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,212,157.

The yarn is bunched and crimped in the stuffer box area 63 and in suchcondition is engaged by the toothed periphery (FIG. 5) of wheel 64 whichis rotated, clockwise in FIG. 5, in timed relation with the nip rollers60, 61, the peripheral speed of wheel 64 being less than the peripheralspeed of the rollers 60, 61 at a ratio of between one to one hundred andtwenty and one to four hundred and twenty and one to four hundred andsixty according to the nature of the yarn and the form required, wherethe hole (not shown) into the crimping area is about of an inch.

The toothed periphery of the wheel gathers up the bunched yarn moving italong the groove (not shown) in the arcuate element 65 which enclosesthe bunched yarn and may be heated if required to bring the yarn to afinal required state.

After leaving the wheel 64, the yarn passes under tensioning device 66through guide 67 to winding apparatus 68 which is driven at a constantspeed with respect to the rate at which bunching of the yarn takesplace.

The crimped yarn is formed onto take-up bobbin 71, which is driven by aroller 72 which contacts the periphery of the bobbin 71. The yarn islaid on the bobbin, in a well-known manner, by reciprocating guide means73 adjacent the nip of the bobbin and the drive roller. In this manner apackage of crimped yarn is uniformly formed over the entire surface oftake-up bobbin 71.

To remove the completed package 71, an arm 74, from which bobbin holder76 extends, is pivoted via shaft 75, (FIG. 7), which is pivotallymounted on a housing 77.

Inasmuch as the crimping apparatus, just described is capable ofaccepting yarn at the high rate of speed from rollers 55 and 57, suchapparatus in combination with rollers 55 and 57 results in the provisionof a continuous operation including, if desired, extruding, as well asdrawing, heating and crimping with all intermediate yarn take-up andsupply steps eliminated.

As noted, the drive means for the various parts described may beconventional, including a source of supply S connecting a motor means M,heaters H in the rollers 55 and 57 as well as heater H, in the arcuateelement 65 and H for heating the teeth of wheel 64, if desired, throughappropriate circuitry E.

The motor means M drives drive means D D D and D, for operating gearboxes or other transmission means 6,, G G and G properly set or variablefor rotating the winding mechanism 68, toothed wheel 64, nip rollers 60,61 and rollers 55 and 57 at desired speeds.

It is also within the scope of the invention to vary the rate ofrotation of the drawing rollers to create an uneven denier in the yarn,by providing variable transmission characteristics to G and G so thatwhen the yarn is dyed, the yarn will receive various levels of dyereception, forming various shades of coloring thereon. The lesser drawnareas will dye darker than those portions of the yarn which are drawn toa greater extent.

It is also within the scope of this invention to place movableelectrically heated elements, such as wires, along the path of the yarn,for instance, between the crimping and take-up apparatus, the wiresbeing driven and disposed relative to the yarn so as to periodicallycontact the yarn at predetermined intervals. That portion of the yarnwhich is contacted by the heated wires accepts less dye than thoseportions not contacted, so that a yarn is produced having various levelsof dye acceptance. This optional feature is illustrated, as an example,in FIG. 3, where electrically heated wires 80 and 80' are arranged to beintermittently moved into contact with the yarn.

It is also within the scope of this invention to pad a resist dye ontothe yarn during the texturing process, so that the yarn will be producedwith various levels of dye.

Color variations in the dyeing process can also be achieved by heatingthe tips of the toothed wheel, by suitable heating means such as acontact heater externally of the arcuate element 65 or by direct heat,via electric heating elements, for instance, to selected teeth withinthe arcuate element.

Because of the speed at which the yarn is being drawn and thenimmediately crimped, it may also be advantageous to coat the heatedrollers 55 and 57 and the crimping chamber elements such as the toothedwheel 64 and the crimping area 63 with a coating of Teflon, whichbecause of its resistance to high temperatures and smooth surfacecharacteristics, reduces snag areas in the apparatus: the decomposedpolymer from the yarn will not stick to the Teflon surfaces; and thefumes from the oiling process will not form a coating on the Teflonsurfaces in the apparatus.

In the process of manufacturing rugs and similar items from crimpedyarn, it is necessary to tuft the yarn. To prepare the yarn for tufting,it has been found desirable to form a twist in the yarn prior to thetufting operation. In the crimping apparatus as shown, twist is impartedto the yarn in a simple manner, by continually rotating the supplypackage 51 while the yarn is being assed from the supply package 51 tothe drawing and heating rolls 55 and 57. The supply package 51 isrotated about a vertical axis in FIG. 5 by providing a rotatable support49 for the package 51 on base 49 and by imparting rotational movement byan conventional means including drive means D from motor means M. Theyarn retains the twist through the subsequent processing to the bobbinpackage 71.

As can be appreciated, the apparatus of the invention lends itself tocombining yarns of various characteristics, such as yarns of difierentpolymer and/or yarns of different heat histories, differing molecularweights, differing orientations and yarns of different crystallizations.Any one of these combinations of yarn may be processed by the apparatusshown in FIGS. 5-7 by providing a second, third, etc. supply package andpassing the yarn therefrom simultaneously over the rollers 56, 58through the crimper 65 and onto the windup or take-up apparatus 68.

The guides 53, 59 and 67, as well as the rollers and crimper mayreadily, accept the yarns either physically combined or, be modified toaccept the yarns in parallel relation.

When the yarn leaves the drawing rollers, loose fibers often are foundwhich hang from the surface of the yarn, thereby creating problems insome subsequent processing. The application of a weld" or oil on theyarn from oiler, such as shown at 23 in FIG. 2, causes the fibers tocling to the surface of the yarn forming a smooth surface.

Yet another embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 8 in which aheated roller is used in a false twist apparatus.

In the known false twist apparatus the yarn is passed from a supplypackage onto a positive feed roller and then onto a heating plate onwhich the yarn is softened. After leaving the heating plate, the yarn ispassed through a false twist head from which it is then passed toanother positive feed roller and then to a take-up package.

In the improved embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the two positive feedrollers and the heating plate are replaced by rollers 81 and 82, one orboth of which may be heated by electrical heating means disposed withineach roller. The rollers thereby serve to heat the yarn and also operateas a positive feed means, so that the yarn 80 is passed from supplypackage 83 onto the first heated roller 81, and is then passed through afalse twist head 85.

The yarn is softened by being passed several turns over heated roller 81to achieve a uniform heating so as to better prepare the yarn for thetwisting operation. After passing through false twist head 85, the yarn8!} is passed over driven roller 82, which may or may not be heated byinternal heating means, onto a take-up package 84.

The invention is not limited by the embodiments shown, but rather by thescope of the claims which are appended below.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forsupporting a supply package of at least partially undrawn yarn, a firstheatable roller being rotatable about a first axis and around which yarnfrom the supply package passes, a second heatable roller being rotatableabout a second axis, said second axis lying outside a vertical plane inwhich the first axis lies, said second roller being rotatable at ahigher peripheral speed than said first roller whereby the yarn passingfrom the first roller is caused to be drawn by the second roller,associated with each of said heatable rollers a respective spacingroller around and in contact with which the yarn passes an conjunctionwith the heatable roller, means for crimping the drawn yarn bylongitudinal compression thereof comprising a crimping chamber and apair of nip rollers for feeding the drawn yarn into the crimpingchamber, said nip lying outside a vertical plane in which the secondaxis lies, said crimping means being positioned to receive the drawnyarn from the second heatable roller while still hot.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the first axis, the secondaxis and the nip are parallel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the first axis and thesecond axis lie in a horizontal plane.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including winding means arranged towind the crimped yarn into a package at a higher level than saidcrimping means.

5. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to heat ar d advance yarn from the supply to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn While in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means, each of said roller arrangements including adriven roller and a spacing roller for spacing axially along the drivenroller turns of yarn wound around both said driven roller and thespacing roller and said apparatus further comprising means associatedwith at least one of said spacing rollers for heating the peripherythereof.

6. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forsupporting at least one yarn supply package, said supporting meansincluding means for rotation of the yarn supply package about an axissubstantially parallel to the general direction of feed therefrom, meansfor heating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn while in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means.

7. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn while in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, saidapparatus further comprising means for tensioning the yarn as it travelsto said one roller arrangement, said crimping means comprising a chamberdefining a yarn bunching zone for forming a plug of crimped yarn andmeans for driving the drawn yarn into the chamber while the yarn isstill in a heated condition from the heating and drawing means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for tensioning the yarnincludes rotatably mounted guide and tensioning wheels.

9. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forsupporting at least one yarn supply package, a first feed roller aroundwhich the yarn is wound for heating and linearly advancing the yarn; asecond feed roller for advancing and drawing the yarn as it leaves thefirst feed roller; tensioning means provided in the path of thetravelling yarn in a position between said supporting means and saidfirst feed roller; and means for imparting a false twist to yarninterposed between said first and second roller, at least one of saidrollers comprising internal heating means constituting the sole meansfor heating the yarn in the drawing and twisting operation.

10. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn, comprising means forsupplying at least one continuous length of a yarn; means for drawingthe yarn; and means for crimping the drawn yarn by longitudinalcompression, said drawing means comprising a roller arrangement, havinga roller comprising a peripheral surface around which the yarn is wound,means for heating the yarn while it is contained on said peripheralsurface; means for advancing the heated yarn away from said rollerarrangement at a rate faster than the rate at which the yarn travels onsaid peripheral surface; said crimping means including a chamberdefining a yarn bunching zone for forming a plug of crimped yarn; meansfor driving the drawn yarn into said chamber while the yarn is still ina heated condition from said drawing means; and means for advancing saidplug of crimped yarn away from said bunching zone; said apparatuscomprising furthermore tensioning means in a position between said yarnsupplying means and said heated roller, so as to provide controlledtension to the yarn as it is fed to and wound around said periphery ofsaid roller.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said tensioning means includesrotatably mounted guide and tensioning wheels.

12. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatabfe androtatable to heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn while in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, atleast one of the roller arrangements comprising means for intermittentlyvarying the relative rate of rotation of said roller arrangements, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means.

13. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn while in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means, the surfaces of the apparatus which come indirect contact with the traveling yarn, including the peripheralsurfaces and the chamber, being coated with a fluorinated ethylenepolymer.

14. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprsing means forsupporting a plurality of independent yarn supply packages, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for windingup the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to heat and advance yarn from the supplv to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn while in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means.

15. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, means for applying a liquid to the traveling crimped yarn,and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, said heating anddrawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, each of saidroller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which the yarn iscontacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable and rotatableto heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of said rollerarrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable and rotatableto advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at which the yarn isadvanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw the yarn whilein a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, said crimpingmeans comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone for forming aplug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn into thechamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heatingand drawing means.

16. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn com prising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, and means for winding up the drawn and crimped yarn, saidheating and drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, eachof said roller arrangements having a peripheral surface with which theyarn is contacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable androtatable to heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of saidroller arrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable androtatable to advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at whichthe yarn is advanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw theyarn while in a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, saidcrimping means comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone forforming a plug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn intothe chamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from theheating and drawing means, said crimping means including a crimpingchamber, said chamber communicating with a passage for receiving theplug of crlmped yarn, said passage including heating means for heatingthe plug of yarn.

17. Apparatus for treating thermoplastic yarn comprising means forheating and drawing the yarn while advancing the yarn, means forcrimping the yarn by longitudinal compression directly after drawingwhile the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heating anddrawing means, movable heating means for intermittent contact with theyarn, and means for winding up the drawnand crimped yarn, said heatingand drawing means comprising a pair of roller arrangements, each of saidroller arrangemnets having a peripheral surface with which the yarn iscontacted, one of said roller arrangements being heatable and rotatableto heat and advance yarn from the supply to the other of said rollerarrangements, said other roller arrangement being heatable and rotatableto advance the yarn at a rate greater than the rate at which the yarn isadvanced by said one roller arrangement to thereby draw the yarn whilein a heated condition from said one roller arrangement, said crimpingmeans comprising a chamber defining a yarn bunching zone for formingplug of crimped yarn and means for driving the drawn yarn into thechamber while the yarn is still in a heated condition from the heatingand drawing means.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said movable heating means areheated elements, which are positioned, in relation to the travel of theyarn, behind said crimping means.

19. A method for treating thermoplastic yarn, including the steps oftaking yarn from a supply, guiding the yarn to and winding the yarnaround an internally heated roller having a peripheral surface,restraining the travel of the supplied yarn prior to its winding aroundthe periphery of said roller, so as to wind the yarn onto the peripheryof said heated roller with a controlled tension, rotating the roller inthe direction of the winding of the yarn therearound, heating the yarnby means of the roller as it travels in contact with the roller, drawingthe yarn off the roller at a greater speed than the peripheral speed ofthe roller, and directly crimping the drawn yarn while said yarn isstill in a heated condition from said heating step.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising feeding the yarn from theroller onto and around a second roller, rotating the second roller at aperipheral speed greater than that of the first named roller and guidingthe yarn from the second roller into crimping apparatus.

21. The method of claim 19, in which the yarn is taken from a supplypackage and said supply package is rotated around its length axis.

22. The method of claim 19, in which a plurality of yarns is taken froma plurality of individual yarn packages.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein a coating of liquid is applied tothe yarn.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the application of the liquidcoating is intermittent and spaced along the length of the yarn.

25. A method for treating thermoplastic yarn, including the steps oftaking yarn from at least one supply package having a rotational lengthaxis, guiding the yarn to and winding the yarn around the periphery ofan internally heated roller, rotating the roller in the direction of thedirection of the winding of the yarn therearound, heating the yarn bymeans of the roller as it travels in contact with the periphery of theroller, drawing the yarn otr" the roller at a greater speed than theperipheral speed of the roller, and directly crimping the drawn yarnwhile said yarn is still in a heated condition from said heating step,wherein the yarn is taken off the supply package in a directiongenerally parallel to the rotational length axis of the supply package,and wherein the package is rotated during take oh" the yarn around itslength axis.

26. A method for treating thermoplastic yarn including the steps oftaking a plurality of yarns of difierent characteristics, simultaneouslyguiding said yarns directly to and winding said yarns around aninternally heated roller, rotating the roller in the direction of thewinding of said yarns therearound, heating said yarns by means of theroller as said yarns travel in contact with the roller, drawing saidyarns off the roller at a greater speed than the peripheral speed of theroller, and directly crimping the drawn yarns while said yarns are stillin a heated condition from said heating step.

27. The method of claim 26, in which the yarns are in the form of aphysically combined yarn bundle.

28. The method of claim 26, in which the yarns are physicallyindependent and disposed in mutually parallel relation.

29. A method for treating thermoplastic yarn includ ing the steps oftaking yarn from a supply, guiding the yarn directly to and winding theyarn around the periphery of an internally heated roller, rotating theroller in the direction of the winding of the yarn therearound, heatingthe yarn by means of the roller as it travels in contact with theroller, drawing the yarn off the roller at a greater speed than theperipheral speed of the roller, and directly crimping the drawn yarnwhile said yarn is still in a heated condition from said heating step,said method comprising the further step of varying the physical anddyeing characteristics of the yarn along its length by applying one ormore of the steps of intermittently contacting the travelling yarn witha heated body, intermittently varying the rate of withdrawal of the yarnfrom the roller, applying a dye resist to selected portions of thetraveling yarn.

30. A method for treating thermoplastic yarn including the steps oftaking yarn from a supply, guiding the yarn directly to and winding theyarn around the periphery of an internally heated first roller, rotatingthe roller in the direction of the winding of the yarn therearound,heating the yarn by means of the roller as it travels in contact withthe roller, feeding the yarn from the first roller onto 13 and aroundthe periphery of the second roller, rotating the second roller at aperipheral speed greater than that of the first roller, andintermittently varying the peripheral speed of one or of both of therollers to produce an intermittently varied rate of draw of the yarn.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,686,339 8/1954 Holt 2872.14

14 3,145,947 8/1964 Stanley 242-l47 3,279,025 10/1966 Stanley et a128l.6 3,348,283 10/1967 Stanley 2872.14 3,376,622 4/1968 Stanley28-72.]4

LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 28--72.14

Rant 14,818 Dated October 26 71 It is certified that error appears inthe above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Iolumn 8, line 20 chance "an" to -in--.

lenumber claims 5 to 2 4 as 7 to 26 respectively Insert after :laim Qthe following claims --5. Apparatus accordinr, to claim 4 in which atleast the first t said heatable rollers includes means for heating: theroller mich means are located internally of the roller.--

-6 Apparatus accordinvv to claim 5 in which said heatable 'ollers andsaid spacer rollers constitute the sole means heating r contacting theyarn during the drawing; of the yarn.- cnumber claims 25 to 30 as 29 to3 4 respectively Insert jter claim 26 the following: claims --27. Amethod according to claim 19 in which as the yarn asses around and incontact with the internally heated roller he yarn also passes around andin contact with a spacer roller ssociated with the internally heatedroller.--

28. A method according to claim 27, in which only said pacer rollersheat or contact the yarn as the yarn is drawn olumn 9 line 35 change "7"to --9-. Column 9 line 70, hanyte "10" to -l2--. Column 11, line 62chanpte "17" to l9- Column 12, each of lines 5 l0, l3, l6 chanpe 19" 0-2l---. Column 12, line 18, change "23" to -25--. Column 2, each oilines 47 and &9 change "26" to -30-- Signed and sealed this 6th day ofJune 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

